Pneumatic pump



June 24, 1930. H. S. ROGERS af 1. 1,767,477

PNEUMATIC PUMP Filed May 17, 1926 Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED'H/STATJE S i AT'E* T F 1E HOMER s. ROGERS AND RICHARD- RA'DDATZ, 0F,MILWAUKEE,-WISCO1\TSIN,.ASSIGNORS or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, .4 :CORZE'ORA- I 'roMILwaUKEn AIRrowEn TION or wIsooNsIN i l Application. filed May 117,

water inlet and outlet ports, fluid inletand m outlet' ports, valves for opening and closing these ports, and some means for causing Opening and closing ofthe fluid exhaust and inlet valves, respectively, when the Water inthe pump chamber reaches the low level point and for causing reverse 01381313101101 these valves when the water reaches the high level point.

Various mechanisms have been: devised for causing this operation of the fluid valves, one of these mechanisms including an operating float arranged in the pump chamber and con nected in'suitable mannerto the fluid exhaust valve for pulling the latter from its seat atr low'level condition in the pump chamber,-this valve being arranged in each case to close with the pressure in the latter. This float has operated with more orless satisfaction under 'relati-velylow pressures, but Where the higher pressures are used as in some of thepresent day systems, the float has been foundito be inu-ao sufiicientto-insure proper action of the fluid exliaustvalve-against the internal pressure in the pump chamber. Even under low pressure conditions, in this valvejactuating mecha- I nism,if discharge of water from theipump chamber is stopped'or continued to a relatively slow rateat theinstant the lo'w water jlevelpoint is reached, the movement of the ,fioat will be insuflicient to completely unseat the fluid exhaust valve, resulting in aninte'rmittent seating and partial unseatingof said valve, improper operation of the pump and leakage-of theaiirpressure. i i 7' T -For thepurpose of providing against this ,dead centerposition, which is possible with the fluid valve actuating mechanismgof this latter type, ,andto providesforzrapid-land certain actuation of the fluid valves at low level' condition {inthe pump. chamber, itihas been proposedtoemploya fluid pressuremotor connected to the fluid valves and operable by the corresponding increase in the cost of manu fli'tr appear.

PNEUMATIC rum 1926,. Serial no, i oas-so;

working pressure for thepump tojactuatethe valves against the internal pressure, in the pump chamber when the water level ,in the latter reachesits lowermostpoint. lVVhile use 7 of such a motor for the purpose explainedhas 'b'eenfound to eliminate thedisadvantagesof the valve actuating mechanism of the float actuated type, it. has madenece'ssary an in crease'in the number of operating parts and a facture'of the pump' o V Oneoftheob jects of the present invention is to provide, in; a pump of'the character. re f ferred to, improved actuating mechanism for? thefluid exhaust and inlet valves, this mechanism being of the float-a havin the advantages of the prior construction oidthistype aslregardssimplicity and cost of manufacture while eliminating the so:

called dead-center,. position at -lovv level in I tuated type and 1 the pump chamber, andhaving the advantages of such mechanism employin-g. a fluid pressure motor as regards the relatively rapid and certain, actuation of the fluid v valves v,Which ,is possible in thislatter type-of mech reaches the low level point. t y t Another obj ect isto provide,- in-apump of the character referred t0,improved actuating .anism, when the water in, the pump. chamber mechanism for the 'fiuidlvalveswherein a predeterm ned, amount of potential energy is stored 11 during discharge of ater from the vided to release. and permitutilization of this potentialenergy in causing opening-and closing ofthe flu idexhaust and inlet valves,

pump c amber aridwhereinhieans are pro respectively, whenithejwater in ,the pump j chamber reaches the lowlevel point; i 5' nlethod" for efiecting jopeningmovement of 7 Jthe fluid exhaust valve, ina pump'ofthe'chan,

acter' referred to, wherein, a; predetermined 'haust valve when the Water inlthe .reaches the low levelpoint. x t.

Other I objects; and; advanta es herein- "Another ob'ect isto, provide animproved i For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one embodiment thereof is shown in the drawing, the latter being a vertical sectional view through the pump, partly broken away.

The pump casing 10 is provided with a water inlet port 11 controlledby a suitable check valve 12 arranged as shown to close with the pressure in the pump chamber 13, and an auxiliary opening 14 which is closed or sealed by a'suitable valve 15 arranged to seat with the pressure in chamber 13 and provided with a guiding stem 16 fitting loosely in opening 14, valve 15 being provided with an operating rod 17 pivotally connected thereto at 18 and provided with a head 19 for the purposes hereinafter explained. 1 i v The upperend of casing 10 is closed by a headfmember2O secured thereto in any suit able manner and provided .with a fluid exhaust passage 21, a fluid inlet passage 22, and a water outlet passage 23 in which is arranged a suitable check valve 24"openingwith the pressure in chamber 13. For the purposeof conveying water from the pump chamber 13 to the water outlet passage 23, a pipe 25 is threaded at its upper end into the underside of head member 20 and extends downwardly to within a relatively short distance from the bottom of casing 10, the upper end of pipe 25 communicating with passage controlled by valve 24. 7 The fluid exhaust passage21 is closed and opened by the valve 26 arranged to seat or close with the pressure in chamber 13 and provided with a bent arm 27 pivotally connected at 28 to head member'20,valve 26 being further provided with a depending lug 29 for the purposehereinafter explained. The

23 and being fluid inletpassage 22 is controlled by the valve 30 arranged to seat or close againstthe pressure in passage 22 and connectedto' the outer end of arm 27 bya link 31.

"A link'132 is pivotally connected at 33 to valve 26, and asimilar link 341s pivotally connected at 35 to a lug 36 which .may be formedfintegrally with head-member20, the adjacent ends of these links' beingpivotally connected together by means of pin 35 c to which is also connected a hanger 37 provided at its lower end with a weightedihead 38;

A lever 39 is pivotally mounted on a pin '40 flxed'in a lug 40 which-may be formed integrally with headmember 20, as shown, and

is providedwith an upwardly extending lug 41 and a vertical opening 42 through which hanger 37 "loosely passes. The'short arm-43 of this lever isprovided at itsend with an opening 44 through which rod 17 loosely passes and with a' seat 45 for the head'19 at the upper end of this rodf A float is pivotallyconnected at 47 to the end of the long arm 48 of lever 39.

The operation of the improved pump will now be described, starting w'ith'the parts in their respective positions as shown in the drawing, wherein the fluid exhaust valve 26 is closed and the fluid inlet valve 30 open to place the pump chamber 13 under pressure and force the water therefrom through pipe 25, valve 24 and water outlet passage 23. As the water level in chamber .13 drops, there will be less buoyant action on float 46, and when the water level drops to a certain point, float 46 will begin to actcasa weight and tend to pull lever arm 48 downwardly. As the waterv levelin chamber 13 drops further and approaches the lower end of float 46, the downward pull of the latteron arm 48'increases. The pressure on the upper side of valve 15 during discharge of thelwater "from chamber 13, however, is suflicient to hold lever-39 against clockwise movement about pin 40 as a center, thehead 19 of rod 17 engaging seat 45 to hold lever 39 against this movement by the downward pull* tween the Working pressure and the area of Valve 15 is such that when the level of the water has dropped to a point 'a short distance from the lower end of float 46 the effective weight action of the latter,which acts upwardly upon head 19 of rod 17 and which is multiplied by'lever 39, is suflieient to pull valve 15' from its seat, at which time float 46 is free todrop under the action of gravity. Just before float 46 reaches the end of its drop, at which time it has themaximu'm of kinetic energy, lever 39 engages'h'ead 38 with an impact, and through hanger 37 and the toggle mechanism comprising links 32 and 34 jerks exhaust valve 26 free of i'ts'seatand closes the fluid inlet valve'30. lVater will then enter the pump chamber by way of inlet port 11, some water also entering the chamber at this time byway of theauxiliary port 141 As the water level in chamber 13 rises, float '46 will also rise to permit valve 15 to close. 1 Further u ward movement of float 46 with the water levelw-illjcause l'ug41 to engage lug29 of valve26 whereby the latter is closed and the fluid inlet valve opened, the arrangement being such that'valve 3O is-fully opened slightly before valve'26 seats whereby seatingof the'latter is effected with a'quick snap action by the air pressure entering chamber 13, this pressure beingsuflieient to hold valve 26 closed against the downward pull thereon due :to the weight'er'l'head member38. The water I is then again forced from chamber 13 by the which time float 46'is held against further completing the cycle; 1 I

file

downward movement by the action of the pressure n the upper side of valve 15, thus maybe stopped or continued at a relatively The combined weight of valve 26, links 32 and 34, hanger 37 and member 38 is sufficient to hold valve 26 open and valve 30 closed against the pressure in passage 22 after lever 89 engages member 38 to jerk valve 26 from its seat in the manner explained.

By extending the water outlet pipe 25 below the lower end portion of float 46, the latter determiningthe low water level point in the manner explained, the lower or inlet end of pipe 25 is always water-sealed to entrance of air into this pipe.

From the foregoing it will. be seen that improved actuating mechanism for the fluid exhaust and inlet valves, of. a pneumatic prevent pump of the character described has been" provided wherein a single float isused for operating the valves in both directions and wherein a predetermined amount of 'poten-. tial energy is stored up during discharge or the water from the pump chamber and is released and utilized to jerk the fluid exhaust valve from its seat against the internal prespure with a quick and positive action at low evel.

It will be furtherseen that when the water in chamber 13 reaches the low level point and valve 15 is started from its seat by the weight action of float 4:6,the float will drop instantly to cause impact of lever 39 on head 38 to effect opening of valve 26 and closing of valve 30 although at this instant the withdrawing of water from the pump chamber low rates There is, therefore, no possibility of a dead-center" position. v

Although one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be appreciated that various changes may be made such as in the size, shape and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the spirit of the invention claims. 7 a V The invention claimed is: i

1. In a pneumatic pump, the combination with a pumping chamber and the fluidexhaust valve thereof, the latter being arranged to close with the pressure in the pump chamber, of means for causing said valve to open or the scope of the and including a plurality of disconnected parts supported for movement into spaced relation with respectto each other to permit closing of said valve and for movement into engaging relation with each other to eflect chamber, a fluid pressure exhaust valve associated therewith and closing with the pressure in the pump chamber, operating mechanism for imparting operative movements to said valve, a vent below the lowwater level in the chamber, a vent controlling valve, a lever fulcrumed within the. chamber and operatively connected to the vent controlling valve and to'the operating mechanism for the. fluid pressure exhaust valve, and a float connected to said lever, the area. of the vent controlling valve, the weightof the float and the ratioof the arms ofthe'lever being so proportioned to each other and to the work ing pressure in the pump chamber that when the level of the water has dropped to a'point a short distance below the lower end of the float, the float drops under the action of gravity to move the vent controlling'valve away from its vent and to actuate the operating mechanism for the valve.

In witness whereof we hereto aflix our signatures. 1

HOMER S. ROGERS. RICHARD RADDATZ.

opening of the latter, means responsive to high level condition 1n said chamber for placing said parts in said spaced relation and tending under low." level condition in the a pump chamber tocause movement oi said parts into'said engaging relation, and means arranged for. c'oaction withsaid first-namedmeans tor'releasably holdingsaid parts in said spaced'relation and acting'to permit said second-named means to storeup a predetermined aniount of potential energy dur-. 

